Abstract
We describe how high-volume electronic healthcare reimbursement claims from providers'' offices and retail pharmacies can be used to provide timely and accurate influenza-like illness (ILI) situational awareness at state and CBSA levels. We focused on the 2006-2010 influenza seasons and the 39 CBSAs in the State of GA. A sufficient proportion of claims for services within any 7-day service period can be accumulated from both providers'' offices and retail pharmacies to generate useful CBSA-level ILI metrics, dispelling the common perception that claims data accumulate too slowly to be useful for public health decision making in sub-state geographic areas.